1 Samuel 12
1 Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.
USamuyeli wathi kubo bonke abako-Israyeli, “Ngikuzwile konke elikukhulumileyo kimi njalo sengilibekele inkosi.
2 Now, behold, the king walks before you. I am old and grey-headed. Behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth to this day.
Khathesi selilenkosi engumkhokheli wenu. Mina sengiluphele lenwele sezimpunga, lamadodana ami lilawo khonapha. Kade ngingumkhokheli wenu kusukela ebutsheni bami kuze kube lamhla.
3 Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”
Ngikhonapha. Fakazani okubi ngami phambi kukaThixo logcotshiweyo wakhe. Ngubani engake ngathatha inkabi yakhe na? Ngubani engake ngathatha ubabhemi wakhe na? Ngubani engake ngamqilibezela? Ngubani engake ngamncindezela na? Kukwezikabani izandla engake ngamukela isivalamlomo ukuba ngivale amehlo ami na? Nxa ngake ngenza okunye kwalokhu, ngizakubuyisela.”
4 They said, “You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone’s hand.”
Baphendula bathi, “Kawuzange usiqilibezele loba usincindezele. Kawuthathanga lutho esandleni somuntu.”
5 He said to them, “The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” They said, “He is witness.”
USamuyeli wasesithi kubo, “Uthixo ungufakazi umelane lani, logcotshiweyo wakhe ungufakazi ngalelilanga, ukuthi kalitholanga lutho esandleni sami.” Bona bathi, “Yena ungufakazi.”
6 Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
USamuyeli wasesithi ebantwini, “NguThixo owakhetha uMosi lo-Aroni wakhupha oyihlomkhulu eGibhithe.
7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.
Khathesi-ke, manini khonapha, ngoba ngizamelana lani ngobufakazi phambi kukaThixo ngazozonke izenzo ezilungileyo uThixo owazenzela lina laboyihlo.
8 “When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.
Emva kokuba uJakhobe esefikile eGibhithe, bakhalela usizo kuThixo, uThixo wasethuma uMosi lo-Aroni, abakhupha okhokho benu eGibhithe bazabahlalisa kule indawo.
9 But they forgot the LORD their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
Kodwa bamkhohlwa uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo; ngakho wabanikela esandleni sikaSisera, umlawuli webutho laseHazori, lasezandleni zamaFilistiya kanye lasenkosini yamaMowabi, balwa labo.
10 They cried to the LORD, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’
Bakhala kuThixo bathi, ‘Sonile, simdelile uThixo sakhonza oBhali labo-Ashithorethi. Kodwa khathesi ake usikhulule ezandleni zezitha zethu, sizakukhonza.’
11 The LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.
Lapho-ke uThixo wathuma uJerubhi-Bhali, loBhedani, loJeftha kanye loSamuyeli, walikhulula ezandleni zezitha zenu inxa zonke, yikho lahlala livikelekile.
12 “When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the LORD your God was your king.
Kodwa kwathi lapho libona ukuthi uNahashi inkosi yama-Amoni wayesizalihlasela, lathi kimi, ‘Hatshi, sifuna inkosi yokusibusa,’ lanxa uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu wayeyinkosi yenu.
13 Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. Behold, the LORD has set a king over you.
Khathesi nansi inkosi eliyikhethileyo, yona elayicelayo; khangelani, uThixo uselibekele inkosi phezu kwenu.
14 If you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of the LORD your God.
Nxa limesaba uThixo limkhonze njalo limlalele lingahlamukeli imilayo yakhe, njalo nxa lina kanye lenkosi elibusayo lilandela uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, kuhle!
15 But if you will not listen to the LORD’s voice, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the LORD’s hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
Kodwa nxa uThixo lingamlaleli, njalo nxa lihlamukela imilayo yakhe, isandla sakhe sizamelana lani, njengoba sasimelane laboyihlo.
16 “Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.
Khathesi-ke manini lithule libone into enkulu uThixo asezayenza phambi kwamehlo enu!
17 Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the LORD’s sight, in asking for a king.”
Kanti khathesi akusisikhathi sokuvuna ingqoloyi na? Ngizakhuleka kuThixo ukuba athumele umdumo lezulu. Njalo lizabona ukuthi yinto embi njani elayenzayo emehlweni kaThixo lapho licela inkosi.”
18 So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
Emva kwalokho uSamuyeli wakhuleka kuThixo, njalo khona mhlalokho uThixo wathumela umdumo lezulu. Ngakho abantu bonke bamesaba uThixo loSamuyeli.
19 All the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.”
Bonke abantu bathi kuSamuyeli, “Khulekela izinceku zakho kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho ukuze singafi, ngoba sesengeze kwezinye zonke izono zethu ngobubi bokucela inkosi.”
20 Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn away from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
USamuyeli waphendula wathi, “Lingesabi. Selibenzile bonke lobububi; kodwa lingamfulatheli uThixo; kodwa khonzani uThixo ngezinhliziyo zenu zonke.
21 Don’t turn away to go after vain things which can’t profit or deliver, for they are vain.
Lingaphendukeli ezithombeni ezingasizi lutho. Zingeke zilenzele lutho, kumbe zilihlenge, ngoba kazilasizo.
22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.
Ngenxa yebizo lakhe elikhulu uThixo kayikubalahla abantu bakhe, ngoba uThixo wathokoziswa yikulenza libe ngabakhe.
23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
Mina-ke kangiyikukwenza ukuthi ngenze isono kuThixo ngokungalikhulekeli. Njalo ngizalifundisa indlela enhle lelungileyo.
24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.
Kodwa mesabeni ngeqiniso uThixo, limkhonze ngobuqotho ngezinhliziyo zenu zonke. Khumbulani izinto ezinkulu alenzela zona.
25 But if you keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king.”
Kodwa lingaphikelela ukwenza okubi, lina lenkosi yenu lizakhukhulwa.”
